Pool-type electric discharge device



Feb. 8, 1949. v

C. C. HERSKIND POOL-TYPE ELECTRIC DISCHARGE DEVICE Filed Nov. 8, 1946' Fig.2.

Fig.4.

Fig.3.

Inv'e nt'orr Carl C. Herskincl,

0% 'His Attorney.

Patented Feb. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,461,275 Q POOL-TYPE ELECTRIC prsonn'nonpnv cr; Carl C. Herskind, Niskayuna, N. Y., assignor to General Electric Com New York pany, a corporation of Application November 8, 1946, Serial No. 708, 53?

My invention relates specifically to improved baffle arrangements for pool-type rectifiers and more generally to improved structural features for gaseous electric discharge devices.

In the operation of' electric discharge devices employing a pool-type cathode, it is desirable to reduce the are drop to a minimum and also to insure that current is not conducted during an interval of inverse voltage on the anode-cathode circuit. In accordance with an important aspect of my invention, I provide an improved water- :cooled. baflle construction which reduces the arc :drop and insures a division of the arc and a distribution of the arc stream over the anode sur- :face.

It is an object of my invention to provide a 'new and improved gaseous discharge device having a low arc drop.

It is another object of my invention to provide :an improved electric discharge device of the :gaseous discharge type in which the arc is cooled by an extended surface which also insures distribution of the are over the anodesurface.

My invention will be better understood by reference tothe following description takenin connection with the accompanying drawing, and its .scope will be pointed out in the appended claims. In the drawing Fig. 1 is an elevational view partially broken away illustrating one embodiment 'of my invention; Fig. 2 is an'elevational view in 'section'of the device'illustrated in Fig. 1, the section being taken along the line 2--2 of Fig. 4;

'Fig'. 3 is a'sectional View taken along theline 3--3 of Fig; l; and Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawing, I have shown my invention applied'to a gaseous electric discharge device employing a pool-type cathode l which may be of suitable conducting liquid such as mercury and a cooperating cylindrical anode 2 which may, to advantage, be formed of graphite;

The anode and cathode are housed within a generally cylindrical casing or tank provided by a cylindrical inner wall 3, closed at one end by an end wall 4. The upper end of the casing isclosed by a suitable cover plate 5 bolted to a mounting ring 6 which is secured to the inner wall of casing 3. The cover supports the anode 2 inspaced and insulated relation with respect to the cathode l in a manner Well understood in the art. The tank for the device is completed by an outer cylindrical wall '1 conforming generally to the shape --of the inner casing 3 and spaced therefrom to provide a water jacket. As indicated in the draw- .in's a l n a sa e p pr dedbr a he 9 Claims. (01. 250-2753 2. Thesebaffles are inthe form of vertically extending tubes ll' arranged in equally spaced relation around the dischargeregion of the'device. Each baffle is suitably closedat the upper ends t by'means of a plate l2 which is welded within a flattened portion-of the tube. The tubes are welded to the bottomwalI 4 of the inner case and open into the region between the bottom end walls of the'casings'3 and I. *As illustrated, each of'the' bafiie members is'provid'ed with a centrally locatedtransverse vane l3 which --terminates short of the upper end'wall "I2 and which extends to the bottom of the outer casing'l; Acircula'r metal ring-l4 is arranged between the inner' and the outer end' wallsof the tank and "connects with the vanes l3 of the bafiles H. I This ring requires that'the water introduced into the center portion of the'ringwcirculate' througheach'of the vertically extending baffles before "entering into the helical passage between the inner and outer casing and effectively providing inlet and outlet headers for the bafiles l'l. As best illustrated in Fig. 4, an inlet connection l5 communicates with the space between the inner and outer casing and on the inside of thering' l4 througha passage defined by' partition members l6 which as shown in Fig. 1, extend upwardly at their-outer ends'to join with the bottom surface of the "separator 8 and along the rest of their length with the wall 4 of the inner casing. With this arrangement water introduced into the passagedefined by' the members It and the end walls of casings 3 and l is required to flow to the center portion of the casing and upwardly in parallel paths through the passages l'l-defined by the tubular baflles and grid basket and the surface of the cathode pool is generally circular splash baiiie 2 3 having three equally spaced arms 24 supported'in insulated relation with respect to thetank by means of stud assemblies 25. A starting electrode .726 which, as illustrated, is of the immersion-ignitor type is supported on a, conductor 2? which isin turn mounted in insulated relation with respect to the tank by a starting electrode mounting flange assembly 28.

in t operation r. thejllustrated embodiment in enticnjen are discharge is established .1 ween the cathode s'nrface 'andthe anode 2 by filo 1 I g a cathode spot on the cathode surface by 'eil'ergization 'of the starting electrode 26. The splash baffle 23 in cooperation with the vertical extending cooling bafiles H divide the are into a plurality. of arc streams corresponding to the number or verticallyextending baiiles and insure f hatgthe arc is distributed over substantially the entire, anode surface, The water cooled bafiies are also in intimate contact with a, substantial volumeof the ionized vapor and provide for effective control of andreductionin the operating .vapor, pressure. As a result of this, cooling of We .aro, stream and its distribution over the anode surfacait is possible to decrease the space between the iaceof the anode and the surface o f the.;cathode pool. As will be readily appreciated this decrease in distance reduces the arc dropof the device. As a resultthis construction has been. found very desirable particularly de ice f ahi r u nt c pa cti lji e baliies H also ofierrelatively little obstruction to thel arc in that they do not increase the arc drop and the gain expected fromre'ducing thelanodercathode spacing is fully realized. 7

l While I have described and illustrated a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be obvious, to those ,slL'lled in the art that changes Iandmodifications may be madewithout departing from my invention in its broader aspects and ,Lthereforaaim in the appended claims tolcover ,allsuch changes andmcdifications as fall within the true spirit andscopeoi my invention.

. What- I claim" as new and desire to secure" by Letters Patent'oi the United States is:

Len electric discharge device of the single ahode typeincluding a generally cylindrical enfle interposed between said-anode andca'th'o'de" obstructing the direct discharge path between 'fsaidarmde and cathode, a; plurality of elongated bafiie members arranged in spaced relation around the'circiimferenceof said anode and'cxtending vertically from the region of saidfcathode "to apoint' substantially above the 'endof said 'anodefsaidbaille members cooperating with'said "transverse bailie to' di'vide' the"dischargeand to distribute the dischargefover the anodesuifaice. 2;An' electric discharge device of the single sa cooled to control the vapor pressure within said anode type comprising a pool-type cathode, an anode having an extended discharge receiving area arranged in opposed spaced relation with respect to said cathode, a plurality of vertically extending baflles arranged in spaced relation arcrnid said anode and extending towards said cathode, means for forming a cathode spot on said cathode;a; transverse 'bafilemernber arranged between said anode and thecathode spot, said vertically extending baffle members cooperating with said transverse baflle to divide the discharge anddistribnte it over the surface or" the anode,

verticallyexteriding baffles also being fluid device. I

3. An electric discharge device including a doubled-walled casing of generally cylindrical shape, said casing including means providing a a sage between the walls thereof for a cooling liquid, a plurality of vertically extending baflles arranged in spaced relation about the inner-wall of. saidcasing and communicating at their lower ends with thespace betweensaid inner and outer end walls of said casing, partition members within said bafiles terminating below tl edpper ends thereof'and dividing each'of the baffles into plurality of passages, a partition member positioned between the inner and outer end walls of said casing and providing-headersconnected re- "spectively with the pass-ages located on opposite 'ing of suflicient size toat least partially subdivide the 'arcdischarge' terminatingcn' said anode'and'said cathode and to distribute-thedischarge'overthe anode surface.

5. An' electric discharge device "comprising a pool-typecathode of'generally cylindrical shape,

-' a generally cylindrical casing forsupp'orting said anode and said cathode in-axially'spacedr and mutually insulated relation, a pluralitybf baflles arranged in 'angularlyspaced relation around the "inside of said casing and overlapping in an axial direction asubstantial' portion of saidan'ode and extending axially'toward said cathode; 'saidda'aflles functioning to divide the arc discharge and distribute it over the surface of said 'anodei each of "said baffles beihg hollow and provided -with-"a vane dividing the baflie into a pair of interconnect'ed longitudinal passages; a pair- 'of 'heailers connectedres'pectively with corresponding passages of the baffles, said'casing including cooling passages on the side wall thereof connected-"with one of said"headers so that fluid introdu'cedinto the" other of said headers circulates through said baifie's parallel and then through 'the pa'ssages on said sidewall.

6} An'electric dischargedevicecoinprising a 'pocmy' e cathode, "an anode ot-generally' 'cylind'rical shape, a generally cylindrical casing for supporting said'anodeand said cathodin axially spaced and"mutually insulated relation, a plurality'o'fjbaflles arranged in angularlyspa ced felation around the inside of -said{casingf and river- 'eniee and distribiite aidia qs ateaQ if -sa being hollow "and provided with e vane' termmating short of one end wall of the baffle to divide the baffle into a pair of interconnected elongated passages, a pair of headers connected respectively with corresponding passages of said baille.

7. An electric discharge device of the single anode gaseous arc discharge type, a cathode, an anode of generally cylindrical shape, a generally cylindrical casing for supporting said anode and said cathode in axially spaced and mutually insulated relation, a plurality of baflies arranged in angularly spaced relation around the inside of said casing and overlapping in an axial direction a substantial portion of said anode, and a transverse baflie interposed between said anode and said cathode and cooperating with said angularly spaced baiiles to divide the arc discharge and distribute .it over the surface of said anode.

8. An electric discharge device including a double-walled casing of generally cylindrical shape, said casing including means providing a passage between the walls thereof for a cooling liquid, a plurality of vertically extending bafiles arranged in spaced relation about the inner Wall of said casing and communicating at their lower ends with the space between said inner and outer end walls of said casing, a partition member within each of said bafiles for dividing the baffles into a pair of longitudinally extending interconnected passages, a ring positioned between the inner and outer end walls of said casing and cooperating with said partitions to divide said easing into two headers each interconnecting one passage of each bafile.

6 9. An electric discharge device of the single anode type comprising a pool-type cathode, an anode having an extended discharge receiving area arranged in spaced relation with respect to 7 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,729,463 Von Kleist Sept. 24, 1929 2,189,612 Pakala Feb. 6, 1940 2,275,852 Herskind Mar. 10, 1942 2,393,390 Lang Jan. 22, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 555,126 Great Britain Aug. 5, 1943 

